Distributor plate assembly



April 3, 1956 J. FILKO DISTRIBUTOR PLATE ASSEMBLY Filed March 24, 1953INVENTOR. JOH N F IL KO ATT'YS United States Patent DISTRIBUTOR PLATEASSEMBLY John Filko, Chicago, 11]., assignor to F. & B. Mfg. Co.,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 24, 1953,Serial No. 344,423 1 Claim. (Cl. 200*30) This invention relates to animproved distributor plate assembly for use in internal combustionengine distributors for the advancement o'r retardation of an automaticspark and particularly to an assembly whereby the distributor plate maybe rotationally oscillated about a cam shaft.

In conventional construction of an internal combustion engine the sparkignition system embodies a principle whereby the spark is advanced orretarded as required by variant engine conditions. The timing of thespark ignition must be correspondingly varied so that combustion in thecylinder is substantially completed just prior to the completion of thecompression stroke of the piston. Such ignition is accomplished inconventional manner by rotation of the distributor plate about its axis,thereby producing a relative movement between the circuit breaker andthe breaker cam.

In my improved distributor plate a bearing assembly is provided wherebythe distributor plate is efiiciently mounted for rotation as requiredfor proper spark timing, eliminating undesirable variances in movementof the plate that interferes with the spark gap of the ignition system.The longevity of use of structure and parts enabling such movement isincreased owing to the improved distributor plate bearing assembly thatis provided. With such an improved bearing assembly the wear and teararising from the continuous movements of the distributor plate on thebearing associated with the plate is minimized, resulting in anefficient spark ignition system not found in distributor plateconstruction as heretofore known.

The distributor plate is suitable for use in automotive vehiclesutilizing a Delco-Remy ignition system. The instant bearing assemblydisclosed herein, however, is more restricted in its application in thatit is suitable for an automotive vehicle in which the Ford type ofignition system is used.

It is an object of my invention to improve engine performance byproviding a bearing assembly for a distributor plate unit of suchconstruction and design that undesirable movement of the plate in itsignition function is eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bearing assembly for adistributor plate that will withstand the constant rotationaloscillation that must be imparted to the distributor plate.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a bearingassembly associated with a distributor plate that circumscribes the camshaft commonly found in an automotive vehicle ignition system of theFord type.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a distributor plate with the bearingassembly mounted therein;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the distributor plate and thebearing assembly showing the relationship of the plate to the componentparts that comprise the assembly; i

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the bearing as sembly' prior tomounting the plate thereon; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the hearing assembly with adistributor plate mounted thereon as it is associated with a shaft.

In the drawings the distributor or breaker plate is generally indicatedby the numeral 1, and has mounted thereon a circuit breaker mechanism 2,comprised of breaker arms 3 that carry contact buttons 4 and rubbingblocks 5. The arms 3 are pivoted to rotate about posts 6. An opening 9is formed generally centrally of the distributor plate 1 adapted tocircumscribe the hearing assembly 10 and permit the plate to be carriedthereby.

The bearing assembly 10 is comprised of a retaining ring 11, an upperring of ball bearings 12, an inte'rmediate raceway member or sleeve 13,a lower ring of ball bearings 14, a lower raceway member 15, and abushing 16.

The lower raceway member 15 is generally tubular as at 17, and has anoutwardly extending annular flange 18 around the lower portion thereof.A groove 19 is formed in the upper surface of flange 18 and is adaptedto receive the lower ball ring 14. The intermediate raceway member 13has formed in its lower portion a groove 20 (Figs. 3 and 4) adapted tosurmount or ride upon the lower ball ring 14.

The upper end of raceway member 13 is initially formed into an axiallyextending flange 22, and a ledge 23 in which an annular groove 24 isformed. The groove 24 receives the upper ring of ball bearings 12 thatride therein. The retaining ring 11 has formed therein in its under facean annular groove 25 (Figures 3 and 4) which seats on the upper ring ofball bearings 12.

The tubular portion 17 of the lower raceway member 15 extends upwardlyto form the rim 26, the inner diameter of the opening 27 therethroughbeing enlarged by reducing the wall thickness thereof to form a ledge 28as well as to define the rim 26. When the bearing assembly is assembled,as can be seen from Figs. 3 and 4, the rim 26 is flanged outwardly as at29 over the inner peripheral edge of ring 11, thereby to secure thatring 11 in position upon the upper ring of ball bearings 12.

It is apparent from the description as presented above that the lowerraceway member 15, being secured to the ring or upper raceway member 11,will rotate with the ring 11, while the intermediate raceway member 13will rotate independently of and about the upper and lower racewaymembers. Thus, when the bushing 16 is secured to the inner walls of thetubular portion 17 of the lower raceway member 15, the shaft 30 that hasa press fit within the bushing 16 will be rotatably supported by thatraceway member and the intermediate raceway member 13 will rotateindependently of the shaft 30. Accordingly, the edge portion 31 adjacentthe opening 9 in the plate 1 is supported on the peripheral abutment 32formed in the medial or shelf portion of the intermediate racewaymember. The plate is secured upon the abutment 32 of the intermediateraceway by means of the lip 33 which is bent over from the upraisedannular rim 34 of the intermediate raceway member 13. As seen in Fig. 3,the lip 33 is initially formed as an annular projection extendingupwardly from the rim 34. In assembling the plate upon the bearingassembly, the lip is bent outwardly so as to rest upon the edge portion31 of the plate 1, thereby clamping the plate upon the abutment 32 ofthe intermediate raceway member 13 (see Fig. 4). Being secured in thismanner to the intermediate raceway, the plate 1 will then rotateindependently of the shaft 30.

From the foregoing description of the rotational movement oftheintermediate raceway member having secured thereto the distributor plateand the spark producing structure found on a conventional plate, a noveland yet simple method is provided for the frictionless rotation ofthedistributor plate'about the shaft member found in automotive vehicleconstruction of the type for which the instant bearing assembly isdesigned. The free oscillation of the plate as Well as the rotation ofthe shaft is enhanced, as load conditions of the motor may dictate, anda uniform, continuous-in-plane, rotational movement is imparted to thedistributor plate. The bearing assembly as such eliminateswear and teararising from the constant motion of the plate and the shaft, eliminatingthe problems occurring in vehicles as found on the market owing to therelationship of the distributor plate to the shaft and friction thatarises in the oscillation and rotation respectively, of these members.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of partsfrom those disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spiritof the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof,provided, however, that such changes fall within the scope of the claimappended hereto.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

A distributor plate bearing assembly for use in an automotive ignitionsystem comprising a tubular member, means on said tubular member tosupport an antima am friction unit, an anti-friction unit supported bysaid means, a sleeve member around said tubular member supported by saidanti-friction unit, said sleeve member comprising an axially extendingrim portion and a main portion integral with each other and a radiallyextending an nular shelf portion disposed between said rim and said mainportion, said rim being disposed between the inner and outer diametersof said shelf portion to form an external abutment and an internalabutment, said rim being stepped to define a lip initially extendingaxially of the sleeve member, a ring on said tubular member, a secondanti-friction unit disposed upon said internal abutment and between saidring and said internal abutment, and a distributor plate mounted on saidexternal abutment and secured thereto by said lip when said lip is bentoutwardly in contact therewith, whereby said plate will rotate with saidsleeve member about said tubular member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS,219,920 Collins Mar. 20, 1917 1,793,124 OConnor Feb. 17, 1931 2,187,870Arthur I an. 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 193,581 Canada Nov. 4, 1919 agirl; A.

